SIBU, Nov 11: The centralised assessment examination for Year 6 pupils, which Sarawak is implementing, will lift the standard of both the students and schools.
With this comprehensive approach, the overall performance of schools can be assessed, says Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee today.
“We’re not saying a school is good or bad, but we can identify which schools need attention. For example, out of 100 schools, the bottom 2.5 cohorts, and the lowest 1.4 cohorts, need attention.
“Why can’t they excel like other schools? Perhaps it’s a lack of teachers, infrastructure, or parental emphasis on education, or students may have other issues,” he said after officiating the Smart Innovation Competition and the Kolej Vokasional (KV) Sibu Appreciation and Excellence Awards.
He added that the assessment is not just to evaluate students’ performance but also of the school’s ranking.
He was commenting on the Sarawak government move to create its own Year Six assessment system for public schools, similar to the defunct Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) examination.
“Personally, I prefer this assessment at the primary level. After Grade 3, there should be an assessment to identify students’ abilities in reading, writing, and other areas.
“This is crucial for Sarawak as it helps address school disparities, especially between rural and urban schools,” he said.
The Nangka assemblyman said that with proper assessment, entries to boarding schools such as MARA Junior Science College (MRSM) will not raise questions from the public.
“We have many full boarding schools, MRSM schools, but if assessments are done by one party (without assessment such as UPSR), not openly, many questions may arise.
“Using a standardised assessment for entry into such schools is fairer, clearer, and allows for a more comprehensive evaluation,” he said. — DayakDaily
